In the sport of surfboarding, the surfboard is normally connected to the ankle of the rider by a strap and leash which prevents the surfboard from being damaged or lost in the event the rider falls off of the surfboard. More recently, in the sport of snowboarding, similar leash devices, among other devices, have been used to connect the snowboard to the ankle of tile rider so that the snowboard does not continue down the slope in the event the rider should fall.
Disconnecting the ankle strap to release the leash from the rider can sometimes be difficult, particularly in cold weather or cold water. In addition, on occasion, it is essential to quickly free oneself from the board in order to avoid serious injury.
As mentioned, the leash is attached to the rider by means of an ankle or waist strap which is normally closed by means of hook and loop fabric such as Velcro fabric. The securing strap is then opened by grasping a tab and pulling back against the Velcro fabric to release the ends of the strap. Under the conditions where, for example, the rider is wearing gloves in the case of snowboarding or the user's hands are cold in the case of snowboarding or surfboarding in cold water, releasing the ankle strap or waist strap at best can be difficult and essentially impossible under emergency conditions.